Oh, thanks for bumping that!
I think the police has much too broad a spectrum of responsibilities. For handling domestic disturbances it would make a lot more sense to send someone whose skill set is closer to that of a social worker. Traffic cops don't need to be armed any heavier than a train conductor, and the people who deal with actual crime should have more extensive training.
There's a universal problem with police officers covering for each other. This goes beyond camaraderie - electricians and construction workers sue the shit out of each other all the time for shoddy work, and they expect their colleagues to do the same. Do your job right or gtfo. When a police officer is sued, the police investigates itself which results in an absurdly low rate of convictions. This is near universal. There is a clear structural problem, as you said, and it's so widespread and so pervasive the only way to remedy it imo is a fundamental structural change that would redefine what the police is.
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